Labor powerbroker and former frontbencher Stephen Conroy has just been on Sky News – he says the Labor conference needs to be moved:

"You cannot go ahead now. This is a really important set of byelections. I don't necessarily believe they'll go ahead but you cannot hold an ALP national conference, people cannot be distracted by this, the frontbenchers cannot be distracted by this going into those byelections. They have got to be absolutely focused on driving the nail in Malcolm Turnbull's coffin."

What Conroy says is, obviously, not party policy but he remains very influential in the Labor Party. His view is worth knowing.

More of Rogers in a tense moment with Wong.Credit:Dominic Lorrimer

4.04pm on May 24, 2018

'This looks partisan'

In his speech, the Speaker said the July 28 date was described as "optimal" by the AEC.

Wong is currently grilling the electoral commissioner Tom Rogers over the choice.

Labor is focusing on the 79-day gap between resignation and byelection, apparently not a record but significantly larger than recent byelection examples.

A tense Rogers is pushing back against Wong's line of questioning:

"Senator, just so I understand it, several members of the House have resigned, resigned as a result of failing to follow procedures and now, somehow, the AEC is being fingered as being responsible for the outcomes of this and, I'm sorry, I'm not taking it."

Wong says "this looks partisan" and asks why the five byelections are being delayed by school holidays when the Bennelong byelection, a Liberal-held seat, was held during NSW school holidays.

Rogers refers to his advice to the Speaker, which noted the AEC was able to conduct byelections in school holidays "if you so direct" but they do create additional difficulties for voters who are travelling.

Wong then says the advice was "very carefully written" and "gives the Speaker cover". She is immediately accused by Cormann of bringing into question the integrity and non-partisanship of an independent statutory officer.

The AEC has been called in for an urgent grilling at Senate estimates to explain its role in the decision.

Under tough questioning from Penny Wong, commissioner Tom Rogers says it's not the AEC's role to pick the date. The AEC provides advice to the Speaker, who makes the call.

Special Minister of State Mathias Cormann, also in the hearing, says Labor has endorsed the citizenship regulations the government is introducing. Those changes, intended to remedy the dual citizenship crisis, helped delay the date of the byelection.

Wong says the treatment of these byelections – four of which are dealing with Labor-held seats – is "clearly different" to previous treatment of Coalition-held seats.

3.38pm on May 24, 2018

'Disgraceful delay'

Labor is clearly not happy about this.

Deputy opposition leader Tanya Plibersek has released a statement saying the date amounts to a "disgraceful delay and a sneaky tactic".

She says:

"This deliberate delay is an insult to these communities who will be unrepresented for nearly three months. It shows Malcolm Turnbull doesn't care about them.

"It would appear this has been deliberately designed to disadvantage the Labor Party, given our national conference is scheduled for that weekend.

"This will obviously have implications for our national conference. Our activists will want to be out in the community campaigning for Labor, not sitting in a conference centre.

"When Barnaby Joyce was forced to resign, a by-election was called the same day for the soonest possible date. When John Alexander resigned, a by-election was called within days. Communities have been waiting weeks now to know when they will have the chance to choose their representatives.

"Malcolm Turnbull owes the Australian people a serious explanation for this unacceptably long wait."

A lot of people were expecting the byelections for Mayo, Longman, Perth, Fremantle and Braddon – electorates located across four states – would be held in June.

However, the Speaker says unique circumstances and a few factors have delayed the date.

He says the AEC needs time to implement new regulations seeking to end the dual citizenship crisis.

He also says there are school holidays across the bulk of July, which tends to affect voter turnout.

Smith has also noted: "The earliest date any elected members could take their seats regardless of the date for the by-elections is the resumption of the sittings on the 13 August."

This is because of the parliamentary winter sitting break extending from June 20 until that date.

A curve ball in all this: Labor's national conference is being held in Adelaide on the July 28-29 weekend. This is when Labor politicians, members, officials and unionists gather for a major policy and administrative event.